The present invention relates to an information recording and reproducing medium for optically recording and reproducing information.
CD (Compact Disc) and DVD (Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) are examples of conventional information recording and reproducing media used for carrying out recording of information or reproducing of information optically. Furthermore, research and development is continuing on CD and DVD media capable of recording information, such as write once discs and re-writable discs in which information can only be written to one side of the disc, as well as write once discs and re-writable discs in which information can be written on both sides of the disc.
In the aforementioned write once discs and re-writable discs in which information can only be written to one side of the disc, the opposite side of the disc to that on which information writing and information reading occurs (hereafter referred to as the recording and reproducing surface) is known as a label surface, and the name or a trademark or the like of the company who manufactured the disc is printed on this label surface.
In the case of write once discs and re-writable discs in which information can be written on both sides of the disc, the above type of label surface does not exist, and both surfaces are recording and reproducing surfaces.
As a result of research and development, a wide range of uses have appeared for these type of write once discs and re-writable discs, and provided they conform with copyright regulations, users are able to create original discs by recording their own selections of music or images as disc content, or create discs which offer greater convenience by writing the computer program data needed for combining all their essential applications onto a single disc.
However, the different discs described above are of an extremely similar shape and appearance, and as the number of discs being used increases, users are finding it increasingly difficult to choose the desired disc from amongst a large number of discs, or to organize their disc collections.
Consequently, users have adopted a method of using a writing instrument or the like to handwrite some type of identifying text or design onto the blank portions of the aforementioned label surface provided on those write once discs and re-writable discs in which only one side functions as a recording and reproducing surface. Each disc is subsequently identified, and the disc collection is organized, based on the handwritten markings.
However, there are problems associated with handwriting text or designs onto the label surface, such as the text or design gradually fading and becoming indistinct, and the general loss in aesthetic appeal of the disc issuing.
Furthermore, in write once discs and re-writable discs in which both surfaces function as recording and reproducing surfaces, no label surface exists, and so even handwriting text or a design is impossible, making the organization extremely difficult.
In addition, in the case of write once discs and re-writable discs in which both sides functions as recording and reproducing surfaces, a problem arises in that it is difficult to ascertain which recording and reproducing surface contains the necessary information.